Devi Asmarani, Surabaya – With another sweeping victory already at hand in this politically strategic province, the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) looks set to secure again a top five position nationwide.
This will give the party leverage as a kingmaker ahead of the presidential election in July, according to observers.
The latest vote counts last night showed PKB in third place with 13.55 per cent nationwide, behind President Megawati Sukarnoputri's Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) and Golkar.
Half of PKB's votes have come from its constituents in East Java, its largest stronghold, with 4.37 million votes counted as of last night. East Java is the home of most of the 40-million strong Nahdlatul Ulama, whose leaders founded PKB in 1998.
Although the vote tally will continue for at least several more days, PKB executives expect to maintain its 1999 poll results of 35 per cent in the province and 13 per cent nationwide.
But even if the party finishes third again this year as in 1999, its aim is not the top post but the role of king-maker in the direct presidential election on July 5, considering the tough competition ahead.
In 1999, a loose coalition of Islamic parties and Golkar helped push PKB founder Abdurrahman Wahid to the presidency, defeating Ms Megawati despite her PDI-P's win in the legislative election. But 18 months later, the same parties that supported the cleric impeached him and put Ms Megawati in power.
This year, Mr Abdurrahman is back, initiating a coalition of Islamic and secular parties to foil the incumbent President's bid for re-election. He has tipped potential presidential aspirants to endorse, including former defence minister and military commander Wiranto and former security czar Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
On Thursday night, Mr Abdurrahman, known popularly as Gus Dur, led a meeting with the former military chief and a host of other representatives from smaller parties in a Jakarta hotel.
While there is no talk yet of forming a coalition, it appears that the move to beef up support for alternative candidates other than Ms Megawati is gaining ground. "We all have the same political views, it's best if we are not enemies," Mr Wiranto, who is seeking the nomination of the Golkar party, was quoted by AP as saying after the meeting.
Political analyst Sukardi Rinakit told The Straits Times: "It is a first step towards a coalition of 'anyone but Megawati'." Mr Bambang, who was not present at Thursday's meeting, is the strongest contender to run against Ms Megawati.
The unexpected poll results of his Democrat Party are due to his growing popularity since he quit the Cabinet after a fallout with the President last month. But his chances of winning depend on the support of larger parties such as Golkar and PKB.
Already, there is talk of pairing Mr Bambang with another strong contender, Cabinet minister Yusuf Kalla, who is widely supported in the eastern part of Indonesia.
PKB official Chotibul Umam Wiranu said his party would wait for the final vote tally before deciding on who to endorse for the top post. Mr Bambang and Mr Wiranto are the two most likely candidates, he said, adding: "Who we will support will depend on further talks and political bargaining." But analysts say what PKB would get out of any bargaining are ministerial posts, due to its weak support base outside of East Java.